EST. 2026

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Theatre Arts · MSc · REF. TA-2069

Language and Style in Wole Soyinka's The Gods Are Not to Blame: A Dramatic Irony Study

Abstract

This MSc study investigates the subject matter outlined in the title above through a structured research design appropriate to the MSc level. Using primary and/or secondary data collection methods, the research examines the underlying variables, tests relevant hypotheses, and presents findings with implications for practice and policy. This is placeholder abstract text generated for catalogue preview purposes; the full document contains a complete, topic-specific abstract, literature review, methodology, data analysis, and conclusion.

Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Scholarly interest in Wole Soyinka's The Gods Are Not to Blame has remained strong, reflecting its continued relevance to discussions of Nigerian and African literary identity.

Despite the volume of criticism devoted to The Gods Are Not to Blame, its use of dramatic irony in relation to political power and corruption has not been exhaustively examined, leaving room for closer textual analysis.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While Wole Soyinka's The Gods Are Not to Blame is widely studied, there is no settled critical consensus on how its dramatic irony functions specifically in relation to political power and corruption. This study undertakes a close textual analysis to address that gap.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

  1. To examine the use of dramatic irony in Wole Soyinka's The Gods Are Not to Blame.
  2. To analyze how dramatic irony contributes to the portrayal of political power and corruption.
  3. To assess the effectiveness of dramatic irony as a stylistic/thematic tool in the text.
  4. To situate the findings within the broader context of Nigerian literary/linguistic scholarship.

1.4 Research Questions

  1. How is dramatic irony used in Wole Soyinka's The Gods Are Not to Blame?
  2. In what ways does dramatic irony contribute to the portrayal of political power and corruption?
  3. How effective is dramatic irony as a stylistic/thematic tool in the text?
  4. How does this reading relate to the broader body of Nigerian literary/linguistic scholarship?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to students and teachers of theatre arts, offering a close reading of Wole Soyinka's The Gods Are Not to Blame that can support classroom discussion and further critical work. It also contributes to the broader body of scholarship on Nigerian literary and linguistic studies.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to a close textual analysis of dramatic irony within The Gods Are Not to Blame, reflecting a MSc-level scope; it does not extend to a full survey of the author's other works.

Chapters Two through Five, references and appendices are available for a one-time fee of ₦50,000.

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